Former NBA All-Star Okur retires

Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Mehmet Okur, a onetime All-Star center
for the Utah Jazz, announced his retirement from professional basketball
Thursday according to various reports.

The Salt Lake City Tribune reported that injuries were the primary reason for
the 33-year-old Turkish native's decision. Back problems had limited Okur to
just 30 games over the previous two seasons.

Okur spent seven of his 10 NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz and was named a
Western Conference All-Star during the 2006-07 season. He averaged 17.6 points
and 7.2 rebounds that campaign, one year after setting career-best averages of
18.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game with Utah.

The 6-foot-11 sharp-shooter was traded to the Nets prior to last season and
appeared in 17 games for New Jersey before being shipped to Portland in March.
Okur was subsequently waived before playing a game for the Trail Blazers.